Modals and perfect morphology

Abstract

This paper argues for a correlation between the distribution and interpretation of sequences in which perfect morphology is realized on a modal verb, on the one hand, and the semantics of perfect morphology, more precisely the stage reached by present perfects on the aoristic drift, on the other. Contemporary French, which shows a neat preference for higher perfects, is contrasted with European Spanish, which regularly exhibits epistemic readings for modals bearing perfect morphology without a general preference for higher perfects. Confirmation for the initial correlation is derived from an examination of Classical French and Latin American Spanish varieties.